LHC takes a step closer to full power

The Large Hadron Collider has reached its highest power so far, taking CERN closer to its goal of using the particle accelerator to conduct experiments that will discover new physics.

Proton beams at 3.5 tera-electron-volts (TeV) were first circulated in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) early Friday, CERN's director of communications, James Gillies, told ZDNet UK. Reaching that level of intensity in circulating beams is an important landmark, as it will enable physicists to start working toward the target energy of 7 TeV, he added.

"It's great--there's really nothing in our way now to starting our physics program for 7 TeV," said Gillies.